Jose Trujillo, left, and Jesus Garcia, who both help care for horses at the stable, rest in the shade. Property owners have agreed to tear down and rebuild the stables to comply with county regulations.

Jose Trujillo wrangles a loose foal on 132nd Street on July 1, two days after signs were posted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works allowing horse owners restricted access to relocate their horses from the stable in Willowbrook.

Horse owner Gregory Jackson walks his horse through the Willowbrook stable where a fire killed three horses and a goat. Stable workers say the facility will rebuild in compliance with Los Angeles County regulations.

Stable fire puts property in spotlight

As Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies try to determine what started a fire that killed three horses and a goat at a stable in Willowbrook last month, they join a number of other investigators who have been called to the property to examine potential wrongdoing.

Over the last five years, county officials have issued more than 100 citations for alleged animal abuse, unlicensed buildings, drug possession and other violations that have occurred on the property. In 2007, county prosecutors threatened to file charges against the property’s owner, Nickolas J. Tokaruk, if he did not fix a host of problems. The June fire prompted the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to agree to impose new regulations on the property.